August 23, 1984, Forty Years Ago: This is the front page of The Indian Express published on August 23, 1984, Forty Years Ago.
Opposition party leaders at a public meeting at the Delhi Ramlila grounds unitedly pledged to fight the Congress onslaught on the Constitution and the erosion of democratic norms. Organised to protest against the “butchering” of democracy in Andhra Pradesh, the massive rally was addressed by major opposition party leaders.
Bhaskara’s 95
Thirty-six Andhra Pradesh MLAs who were claimed by Chief Minister Bhaskara Rao as having gone with him to Governor Ram Lal in Hyderabad were in New Delhi at that time. This is conclusively proved by a group photograph of 35 of them with N T Rama Rao taken at a hotel in New Delhi where NTR supporters were put up. Who then are the 95 supporters which Bhaskara Rao has claimed to have presented to the Governor?
Venkataraman Is VP
Congress (I) nominee R Venkataraman was elected the eighth Vice President of India when he defeated the combined Opposition candidate B C Kamble by a comfortable margin. Of the 745 votes polled, Venkataraman bagged 508 against 207 secured by Kamble. There were 30 invalid votes, an unusually high number considering that the electoral college consists of members of the two Houses of Parliament.
Centre’s Proposals
To deflate the Andhra Pradesh crisis, the Centre is considering proposals short of conceding to the demands of the Telugu Desam Party. One of the proposals is to transfer the state Governor, Ramlal. There were indications that some announcement concerning the developments in Andhra Pradesh would be made soon after the Prime Minister’s meeting the President. But it has been delayed.
